A truck accident that occurred on Interstate 75 in Campbell County Aug. 27 has left one person dead and three others injured. The accident happened around 3:15 p.m. near Caryville. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, a northbound semi-truck crossed over the median and struck a southbound semi-truck head-on.
One of the truck drivers, a 49-year-old man from Russell Springs, Kentucky, was killed in the crash. It is not clear from reports what injuries were suffered by the driver of the second semi-truck. Reports say a passenger car was also involved, and two firefighters were injured. Some of the injured victims were flown to UT Medical Center.
The crash resulted in a chemical fire that closed a portion of I-75 in both directions for several hours and led authorities to evacuate an area within a half-mile of the crash. Witnesses said they heard three or four loud explosions. One of the trucks was carrying batteries, and the other truck was transporting oxidizing materials. However, an earlier report that the crash involved radioactive materials turned out to be incorrect. It is not clear from reports what caused the first truck to cross over the median and strike the second truck.
Motor vehicle crashes can be catastrophic and often result in severe injuries or death. When a person is injured in a truck accident, the injured may be able to seek compensation form a truck’s driver if he or she may have been at fault. That victim may want to consult with an attorney to see if their injuries warrant a civil lawsuit that might allow them to seek compensation for their losses.
Source: Local 8 Now, “One killed, three injured in explosive I-75 head-on tractor trailer crash“, August 28, 2014